NAGPUR: The Western Zone bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT), Pune, blasted Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) for not following the Supreme Court directives while issuing licence to meat processing units.
The NGT disappointment comes while disposing of a PIL filed by Kanakrai Savadia, president of city-based Sukrut Nirman Charitable Trust in 2012. The PIL was first filed in the HC bench but was transferred to NGT on June 18, 2014.
Savadia, who works for animal welfare and environment damage caused due to slaughter houses, had challenged setting up of two meat processing and cold storage units — Shahin Frozen Foods and Best Cold Storage Private Limited in Taroda near the temple town of Shegaon.
MPCB, Akola, gave consent for the units with a capacity of 1,200 tonnes per month and cold storage of meat and vegetables of equal capacity. According to Savadia, to keep 1,200 tonnes capacity of the meat unit operational, about 10,000-12,000 large animals will need to be slaughtered.
"As per the 2007 livestock census, there were only 16,047 buffaloes in Buldhana district. The number must have gone down further in last five years," says Savadia (80), who appeared in person before NGT.
Savadia pleaded that the slaughtering of animals would pollute water sources and waterborne diseases would affect local residents. To prevent such a situation, the petitioner demanded the consent given to the proposed unit be withdrawn.
However, NGT on December 24, partly allowed the PIL, directing MPCB to see that slaughter houses maintained record of sourcing of slaughtered animals along with necessary details of clearances as laid down by the apex court.
NGT also asked MPCB member-secretary to review environmental performance and time-bound directions for upgrading of pollution control systems in next four weeks.
"All the compliances are needed to be adhered to by the industries in four months. In case of failure, MPCB shall issue closure directions to the industry, which shall not be revoked without the permission of NGT," ruled Justice VR Kingaonkar (judicial members and Dr Ajay Deshpande (expert member).
NGT also asked MPCB to visit the two industries on bimonthly basis for next two years to ascertain compliance. Interestingly, the tribunal also directed the two units to pay Rs50,000 to the applicant towards the cost of application.
Impact of NGT Ruling:
* Judgement clearly indicates that MPCB officials are not following pollution control norms and SC orders while issuing licenses to meat processing units.
* MPCB shirking responsibilities of sourcing of the raw material (meat) from slaughter houses.
*Now MPCB officials will have to mention source of raw meat. It should be approved by Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for domestic consumption and by Agricultural Produce Export Development Authority (APEDA) for exports.
* Necessary environmental safeguards for meat industries should be considered by MPCB before issuing the consent to start the industry. It is must to provide necessary pollution control system to achieve specified norms for meat processing industry.
* Even after the lower court rulings in favour of industries, now meat cannot be stored in cold storages unless source of meat is known and that should be from approved slaughter houses.
* As per the rules for transport of meat, it should be transported in a vehicle having refrigerated facilities
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